Pleasantly Strange - Chapter 4

[meetme2theriver]

This was meant to be posted closer to actual Christmas, but I got started too late for that to happen. So just pretend this was posted two weeks ago, okay? Happy new year, anyway. ;)

Comments

[me_emma_me]

This was a great story showing how Christmas was different for everyone :D I love the Strangetown Christmas Cactus tree and the roasting marshmallows over the campfire!

[meetme2theriver]

Thank you! :D That was the first time I ever found a use for that Christmas cactus... Now I only need to find a use for that Christmas... maple tree or whatever it is. :p Haven't used the campfire very much before either. I should stick that in a park somewhere..

[showercapfrog]

I liked that Lucy noticed that quite a few of her friends had missing parents. (Missing mothers, especially).
And you dress Angela in the same formalwear I did. Or maybe she came with that, I forget :P

Dina would be evil to Alex :(

[meetme2theriver]

Yeah, I just sort of realised myself while I was writing, that half the kids in Pleasantview are missing a parent, and then Buck and his brothers were added to the total of that, too.

Angela does come in that formalwear. Actually I think all of her default clothes are green, so I didn't change any of that, just gave her some green outerwear to match too.

Dina is not a good person in this story... but more on that later. :)

[showercapfrog]

I really like the expressions in this picture, too.

I want to see what Dina is like for you.

Poor Pleasantview. EA really likes messed up families, doesn't it? Even a lot of the later neighbourhoods have messy families.

[meetme2theriver]

Heheh, getting the different facial expressions is fun. I had to turn off their speechbubbles so I could get those pictures, or someone's speech bubbles about fish or something would block someone's face.

EA does like its dysfunctional families... But really, where would the fun be in a neighbourhood where everyone was perfect happy married couples with 2.5 kids? :) Personally I think that's why Desiderata Valley is so boring. Almost all the characters there is a married couple with one child. No drama! No mystery! No fun.

[tiipiipii]

Lucy is such a sweet girl :)

I love all the small details in all your chapters, like the old coffee maker at Pleasants and the children table at the Oldies' party (my mother-in-law has a children's table at family gatherings, too). They make these situations and characters so real.

And Buck is also sweet - and cunning ;)

Oh and one more thing - you must have had great time with decorating all the houses. Good job.

[meetme2theriver]

The Burbs is one of my favourite families. :) I really don't know why, they just seem so... normal and average compared to all the drama that goes on in Pleasantview. I also like that they're related to the Pleasants. Other Maxis-made mother-father-one-child standard families tend to bore me, but I just love the Burbs

[aledstrange]

OMG!!!

This was just the sweetest thing i've read in soo long!!
I'm all teary, i can't even comment!!

... nah, wait! i can!! :P

The dinner at the Pleasant was so beautiful, I tend to forget how related all the families at PV are!! and Dina, totally my image on her as well, fake!! all sweet with Mortimer, but cold from behind! poor Alex!! I know how he feels (mine kind of has the same problem, still to be mentioned in story tho :P)

and Buck penpals with Lucy!?? that's soooo sweet!! <3
and Awwww!!! BUCK!!! <3 he got is painting set!! LOVELY!!! (me loves Buck, Loves Buck!!)
and the campfire, the cactus, Buzz!?? he looks so relax and laid back!! or is it only my impression!??

gossh!!! U have sooo many great ideas, I love it!!
Can't have enough!! <3
Think this one is becoming one of my fav. maxis-story so far!!

*bows to you*

[meetme2theriver]

Aww, thank you. :) You flatter me too much, you know! Thanks a lot. :D

I like how connected the PV families are, they're perfectly set up for a story, really. Hehe, Dina's evil has yet to be unveiled in its entirity... although you might have a clue about it. ;)

Alexander has a rather small part in the story, overall, but I wanted to get his point of view in too, even if it's indirectly.

Buck is quite awesome, and I can't shake off his artistic tendencies after reading Strangetown, HWC, so he had to a his painting set - he has the child easel in his room!

Buzz is pretty relaxed there, I mean... it's Christmas, after all. :D The Grunts are also more background characters in this story, though. I just want to show a little of everyone!

Thank you for reading!

[aledstrange]

I need to start paying a bit more attention to the PV families, indeed! Normally its just Goths for me!! Just Goths ... who is everyone else!?? :P But even there, Cassie is still very linked to others in town, like Mary Sue and Darren, who are also connected to others, and so on

[meetme2theriver]

Everyone is PV is connected to at least one of the other families in some way, it's very cool, and soap opera-ish. :D

I don't think I'd noticed Buck's initial creative point want! That is very explicit, really. And well, doesn't his bio say he wants to be a dog stylist or something? And yeah, his default hobbyis Science but that's based purely on personality, which is stupid I think. It works sometimes but not nearly always. I always change the Maxis' sims hobbies to whatever I THINK it should be. :p

I'm enjoying doing little bits from each family too, and that's something I like reading in others' stories as well. The interaction between characters and families are fun, and gives a lot more to work with than when you're trying to write a legacy and only focusing on one family!

[ext_157511]

Great post! I love how you were able to intercut from one family to the next seamlessly!

[meetme2theriver]

Thanks! :) I wanted this to be like a little Christmas story, it can sort of stand on its own from the rest of the plot.